Nador Travel Guide: Lagoon, Capes and Beaches in Northeastern Morocco

Nador is a port city in northeastern Morocco, on the shore of a large coastal lagoon and next door to the Spanish city of Melilla. It is a working city rather than a tourist destination, and for many travelers it is simply the place where the ferry from Europe docks. The coast and hills around it, though, are well worth a day or two. This Nador travel guide covers what to see in the region.

Nador at a Glance

• Best for: coastal scenery, quiet beaches, arriving in Morocco by sea.
• How long: one or two days.
• Best time: May, June and September.
• Good to know: a car is very useful; the sights are spread out.

The Marchica Lagoon

Nador faces the Marchica, also called Mar Chica, one of the largest lagoons on the Mediterranean, separated from the open sea by a long strip of sand. The city’s waterfront promenade runs along its shore and is the place for an evening walk. A long-term development project is transforming parts of the lagoon with marinas, parks and resorts, and the water attracts flamingos and other birds, especially toward its eastern end.

Cape Three Forks

North of the city, a rugged peninsula juts some 25 kilometers into the Mediterranean and ends at a lighthouse on a high cliff. The road there winds past small villages and gives access to steep tracks leading down to coves of clear water. This is the most beautiful stretch of coast in the area. The final part of the road is narrow, and the beaches have no facilities, so bring what you need.

Mount Gourougou

The forested volcanic massif behind the city rises to about 900 meters. A road climbs through pines to viewpoints over Nador, the lagoon, Melilla and the sea. Barbary macaques live in the forest. The area is used for picnics at weekends; go in daylight and with a vehicle.

Beaches

• Kariat Arekmane: a village at the eastern end of the lagoon with a long open beach and good birdwatching nearby.
• Ras El Ma: a fishing village and beach further east, facing a group of small islands.
• The coves of Cape Three Forks: small, clear and often empty outside August.

In Town

Nador itself is modern, laid out on a grid, with busy commercial streets and a large market. There are no major monuments. Its appeal lies in cafés, seafood restaurants along the corniche and the lively atmosphere on summer evenings, when families who live in Europe return for the holidays.

How to Get There

• By ferry: the port of Beni Ensar, beside Nador, has services from Almería and other ports in Spain and, in season, from France. Crossings from Almería take several hours and often run overnight.
• By air: Nador-Al Aroui Airport, about 25 kilometers south, has flights from several European countries, serving the Moroccan community abroad.
• By train: a railway line links Nador with Taourirt, where it joins the main line to Fes.
• By road: the Mediterranean coastal highway leads west to Al Hoceima in about two and a half hours and east to Saidia in about an hour and a half.

Melilla

The Spanish enclave of Melilla lies a few kilometers from Nador, across a land border. Border rules and opening have changed several times in recent years, and crossing can involve long waits. Check the current situation and your visa requirements before planning a visit.

Practical Tips

• July and August are extremely busy, with heavy traffic at the port and full hotels.
• Spanish is widely understood, along with Tarifit and Arabic.
• Book ferry tickets from official company websites or offices, not from touts near the port.
• Carry water and sun protection on any trip to the cape.